LEWISTON, Idaho-Four members of the 2002 NAIA National Champion Lewis-Clark State College Warriors will begin their professional careers on Tuesday, June 18th. Draft picks Matt Morgan, Zeph Zinsman and Any Torres and free agent signee Mike Madrid will start their pro careers in Rookie League baseball.

Morgan, an 18th round draft pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks, will open the season in Missoula, Mont. The Ospreys open the Pioneer League season tonight against the Great Falls Dodgers. Morgan is expected to see plenty of playing time at shortstop.

Zinsman and Torres will open the season also this evening, but for the Medicine Hat, Alb. Blue Jays of the Pioneer League. Zinsman, a first baseman, was selected in the 25th round by the Toronto Blue Jays and Torres, a pitcher and the World Series MVP, was selected in the 35th round by the Blue Jays.

Finally, Madrid will play for the Bradenton, Fla. Pirates of the Gulf Coast League. The Pirates open the season on Tuesday, with a noon (Eastern) game against the Sarasota Orioles.

Pioneer League player eligibility rules are as follows: A team can have 30 players, but no more than 17 players can be over 21, provided that no more than three are 23 or older. No player can have more than three years prior playing service. According to Gulf Coast League rules, you can have no more than eight players 20 or older and no more than two players 21 or older. No player on the active list can have more than two years prior playing service.

NOTE: Extending their 2002 season to summer ball are: Jay Knowlton, Kevin Welch, Tyler Best and Collin Perschon for the Alaska Goldpanners; Ricky Bostick for the Anchorage Bucs; Tim Petke for the Aloha Knights; Emerson Frostad for the Bellingham Bells; and, Jeremy Mannin and Casey Hoorelbeke for the Wenatchee AppleSox. Ed Cheff is coaching the Alaska Goldpanner team and former LCSC assistant Denny Barrett is assisting. Knowlton is batting .444 and Best is 0-for-3 so far. Welch is 0-1 with a 2.08 ERA. Bostick has yet to yield an earned run in 5 1/3 innings pitched. He also has yet to figure in a decision. Petke is 1-0 with a 3.52 ERA for the Knights of the Pacific International League (PIL). Frostad is batting .242 for the Bells and Mannin is 2-0 with a 3.38 ERA and Horrelbeke is 0-1 with a 13.50 ERA for the AppleSox. Trevor Brown is batting .545 with a home run and four RBI for the Bend Elks of the PIL. He is second in the league in average.